Carina
The carina is the sagittally-oriented cartilaginous ridge at the bifurcation of the trachea and is an important reference point in chest imaging.
Gross anatomy
The carina represents the inferior termination of the trachea into the right and left main bronchi.
The carina usually sits at the level of the sternal angle and the T4/T5 vertebral level in the thoracic plane.
History and etymology
"Carina" ultimately derives from Latin, meaning "keel of a boat" . The term was originally used in botany to indicate a projecting ridge on the back of an organ.
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